1. Purpose of This Policy

Family Support Scotland is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all members, volunteers, staff, and supporters.
This policy outlines our commitment to:

Equality

Fair access to support

Anti-discrimination

Anti-bullying and anti-harassment

Respect for all individuals

We uphold the principles of the Equality Act 2010 and protect all individuals from unfair treatment.

2. Our Commitment to Equality

Family Support Scotland actively promotes equality by ensuring:

✔ Everyone is treated with dignity and respect
✔ Support is offered fairly and without bias
✔ No one is excluded based on personal characteristics
✔ Staff maintain professional, inclusive behaviour
✔ Cases are handled without judgement
✔ Discrimination is not tolerated at any level

3. Protected Characteristics (Equality Act 2010)

We do not discriminate based on:

Age

Disability

Gender reassignment

Marriage or civil partnership

Pregnancy or maternity

Race

Religion or belief

Sex

Sexual orientation

This applies to:

Clients

Staff

Volunteers

Families

Members

Partners

4. Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to:

All staff and volunteers

Members receiving support

All communication platforms (Discord, email, messages)

All Family Support Scotland activities, support sessions, and interactions

It covers:

Behaviour

Safeguarding

Decision-making

Language used

Case handling

Moderation actions

5. Zero Tolerance of Discrimination

Family Support Scotland has a zero-tolerance policy towards:

Discrimination

Harassment

Bullying

Hate speech

Victimisation

Targeting behaviour

Favouritism

Exclusion based on characteristics

Any staff member found engaging in these behaviours may face:

Removal from role

Investigation

Further action by Founders

Escalation under safeguarding procedures

6. Staff Responsibilities

All staff and volunteers must:

✔ Treat every member equally
✔ Use inclusive, respectful language
✔ Follow trauma-informed practice
✔ Avoid judgmental or biased behaviour
✔ Maintain professional boundaries
✔ Challenge discriminatory behaviour
✔ Report discrimination immediately
✔ Escalate concerns using the Emergency Code System if necessary

Staff MUST NOT:

✘ Allow personal beliefs to influence support
✘ Treat clients differently based on identity
✘ Make assumptions
✘ Engage in insults, mockery, or bias
✘ Ignore discriminatory statements
✘ Give preferential treatment

7. Reporting Discrimination

Any staff member or client can report discrimination through:

Safeguarding Leads

Founders

Staff support channels

Incident Report forms

Crisis logs (if urgent)

Reports will be taken seriously and handled confidentially.

8. How We Handle Reports

Concern raised

Safeguarding team reviews

Investigation begins (internal)

Interviews or logs reviewed

Decision made by the Chief Safeguarding Lead and Founders

Actions taken (if required)

Summary recorded in organisational logs

No one will be victimised for reporting concerns.

9. Inclusive Support Practice

We ensure:

✔ Services are accessible to all
✔ Adjustments are made where needed (e.g., ASN support, communication needs)
✔ Youth and vulnerable individuals are treated safely and respectfully
✔ All family types are supported equally
✔ Cultural and personal sensitivities are respected

10. Breach of Policy

Breaches may result in:

Mandatory retraining

Change of role

Temporary suspension

Final warning

Removal from the organisation

Safeguarding escalation

Agency escalation (if required)

Severity determines the response.

11. Policy Review

This policy will be:

Reviewed annually

Updated in line with changes to UK law

Re-issued to all staff

Reconfirmed during staff training